Independiente is the thirteenth Spanish-language studio album by Guatemalan singer-songwriter Ricardo Arjona, released on 23 September 2011. Recorded in the United States and Mexico, it was produced by Arjona with Dan Warner, Carlos Cabral "Junior", Lee Levin and Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Tommy Torres. The album—the first independent release by Arjona after he was signed by Sony Music in 1993 and Warner Music in 2008—was issued by his own label, Metamorfosis.
Composed and written in a year, the record marks Arjona and Torres' fourth collaboration. For Independiente, Arjona returns to his trademark sound after his stylistic departure for Poquita Ropa (2010). While producing the latter, he had used fewer instruments to simplify his sound, having introduced what had been called a "stripped-down acoustic effort" in his music. Independiente has been compared to his earlier recordings, Historias (1994) and Animal Nocturno (1993).
Independiente became Arjona's fourth number-one album on the Billboard Top Latin Albums where it debuted for the week ending 22 October 2011. For thirteen non-consecutive weeks it topped the Latin Pop Albums chart, and reached number one on the Mexican Albums Chart. It is his fifth consecutive album to chart on the Billboard 200 (reaching number sixty-five), and his fourth album to chart in Spain (peaking at number sixty-eight). Within one week after its release Independiente was certified gold in Chile, the United States and Mexico and certified platinum in Venezuela and Argentina.
Five singles have been released from the album. The lead single, "El Amor", became a commercial success in several Latin American countries and was number one on the Billboard Latin Songs and Latin Pop Songs charts. It was followed by "Fuiste Tú" (featuring Gaby Moreno), which reached number one on the Latin Pop Songs, number two on the Latin Songs charts and topped several other national charts. "Mi Novia Se Me Está Poniendo Vieja" was released in May 2012; "Te Quiero" in July 2012, and "Si Tu No Existieras" in November 2012. To promote Independiente, Arjona embarked on his Metamorfosis World Tour.
Background
In 2010, Arjona wanted to change his musical style; after experimenting with using as few instruments as possible, he obtained a sound similar to an a capella performance (simplifying his sound) and introduced what he called a "stripped-down acoustic effort" to his music. This was heard on his twelfth studio album, Poquita Ropa. Arjona produced the album with Dan Warner, who has worked with Shakira, Celine Dion and Christina Aguilera. When promoting the album Arjona said, "[songs] are like women; they get things up and are so concerned about this that they forget that the less clothes, more beauty. The songs are often overwhelmed by ourselves, because we saturate them with arrangements looking to exalt their qualities and we end up hiding them". Poquita Ropa became the first album since Adentro which Arjona recorded without Torres.
Weeks before the release of Independiente, Arjona issued a letter raising the issue of his past relationships with recording companies. He revealed the circumstances of his first contract: "a producer, friend of mine, told them [the record label] that if they did not sign me in, they won't sign two artists he had [at that time]". Arjona further explained that he received the "minimum royalty percentage" from his most successful albums.(26 September 2011). "Arjona desclasifica los episodios menos glamorosos de su paso por las discográficas" [Arjona declassifies the least glamorous chapters of his stay with record companies] (in Spanish). Emol.com. Retrieved 15 October 2011. Independiente is Arjona's first independent release through his own label: Metamorfosis, a company he created to refocus his career.(12 October 2011). "Ricardo Arjona, de nuevo en la cima con 'Independiente'" [Ricardo Arjona, again at the top with 'Independiente'] (in Spanish). Univisión Musica. Retrieved 15 October 2011. The company is presided by Arjona and several friends (including photographer-director Ricardo Calderón, Universal Music México executive Humberto Calderon and BMG's Miriam Sommerz), and is based in Miami and Mexico City.(7 July 2011). "Ricardo Arjona sacará un nuevo disco bajo su propio sello independiente" [Ricardo Arjona will release his new album under his own independent label] (in Spanish). San Diego Red. Retrieved 30 October 2011. Arjona commented that his independence represented compromise more than freedom, stating that "Inside the word 'Independent', even when it sounds like extreme freedom, there's a big amount of compromise and the responsibility of being able to administrate, in the best way possible, such independence". Billboard notes that, although other groups have released independent albums following contracts with major labels, Arjona is the most important Latin pop artist to do so. Although the album is marketed within the new label, distribution was handled by Warner Music.
Production and recording
Independiente marked Arjona's fourth collaboration with Torres. The latter was a composer and producer, also receiving background-vocal credit. The musicians first worked together in 2005, when Arjona released his tenth studio album (Adentro). He stated that he first "tested" Torres by sending him the "hookiest and darkest tracks" on the album: "Acompañame A Estar Solo" and "Iluso". Torres then "went all out on the first demo, hiring a full band that included a string orchestra". In Quién Dijo Ayer (2007), Torres produced the singles "Quién" and "Quiero" and provided background vocals on the remastered versions of Arjona's past hits.Quién Dijo Ayer (Booklet). Ricardo Arjona. Mexico City: Norte, a division of Sony BMG Entertainment. 2007. 886971113352. In 5to Piso (2008), Torres produced several tracks;5to Piso (Digital booklet). Ricardo Arjona. Warner Music Mexico: a division of the Warner Music Group. 2008. one was the lead single "Como Duele", considered Arjona's "biggest hit in years" by Jason Birchmeier of Allmusic.Birchmeier, Jason. "5to Piso > Review". Allmusic (United States: Rovi Corporation). Retrieved 20 April 2012.
The album was composed over a one-year period.(3 October 2011). "Arjona goza de "libertad extrema" consciente de sus riesgos" [Arjona enjoyes 'extreme freedom' aware of the risks] (in Spanish). EFE Agency. Retrieved 15 October 2011. Most of its production was handled by three producers familiar with Arjona's work: Dan Warner, Lee Levin and Dan Rudin. Tommy Torres also produced three tracks: the lead single "El Amor", second single "Fuiste Tú" and "Hay Amores". Victor Patrón produced two songs, ("Caudillo" and the piano version of "Mi Novia Se Me Está Poniendo Vieja") and Julio Chávez aided in the production of "Reconciliación". Arjona wrote all the songs except "El Amor" (which was co-written with Torres). The album was recorded and produced in several cities in the United States and Mexico. Independiente was mixed at the Blue Grotto in Nashville, Tennessee, and mastered by Tom Coyne and Aya Merrill at Sterling Sound in New York City. With Torres' return to producing Arjona regained the classic, trademark sound which Torres helped develop since 2005.
Composition
Independiente opens with "Lo Que Está Bien Está Mal", a Latin pop song and the only track composed by Dan Warner instead of Arjona (who wrote the lyrics). "El Amor" was motivated by Arjona's desire to examine "those big, dark events within love that nobody talks about"; he continued, "[the] dark sides of love are extremely fundamental to understand its great value."(19 September 2011). "Ricardo Arjona muestra los distintos ángulos de 'El Amor'" [Ricardo Arjona shows the different angles of 'El Amor'] (in Spanish). Rumberos.net. Retrieved 15 October 2011. Arjona added, "So many good things abould love has been shown that somebody had to turn it around and tell the bad ones".NTX / EHOG (12 October 2012). "Ricardo Arjona obtiene número uno con su primer sencillo 'El amor'" [Ricardo Arjona obtains a number one with first single 'El Amor'] (in Spanish). Informador (Mexico: Unión Editorialista, S.A.). Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2011. In a February 2012 interview, Arjona stated that "El Amor" was the "most tawdry" song he had released to date, explaining that their choice of the song was a "contradiction" because it was not "the song which could better represent the entire album". He described it as "very strong" and "a bit dark". The single marked Arjona's return to his signature, mainstream sound after the Cuban music influenced Poquita Ropa'''s lead single "Puente", a mixture of salsa and merengue which failed to make an impact in the United States.[ "Ricardo Arjona Album & Songs Chart History – Latin Pop Songs"]. Billboard (United States: Nielsen Business Media). Retrieved 25 March 2012.
The album includes "Fuiste Tú", a duet with Guatemalan singer Gaby Moreno. Its instrumentation consists of piano, violin, guitars, drums and other percussion. Although Arjona stated that he "had the possibilities to record this song with very well known people" he expressed his happiness with Moreno, revealing that "the possibilities of doing it with her, for me, are a celebration".(10 October 2011). "Ricardo Arjona lanzó su nuevo disco 'Independiente'" [Ricardo Arjona released his new album 'Independiente'] (in Spanish). Rio Negro. Archived from the original. Retrieved 7 May 2012. He described Moreno as "incredibly talented", a "countrywoman" and a "fantastic human being". Arjona named "Fuiste Tú" as one of the most important songs on the album. "Mi Novia Se Me Está Poniendo Vieja" took two years to complete and Arjona dedicated it to his mother, Noemí Morales.(27 October 2011). "Ricardo Arjona canta al amor de su vida: su mamá" [Ricardo Arjona sings to the love of his life: his mother] (in Spanish). Tropicana. Retrieved 30 October 2011. He stated that he wrote it "as a gift for my mom on Mother's Day" and that he thought "the idea of including it on the album was very good". As with his single "Señora De Las Cuatro Decadas" (on 1994's Historias), at first he never thought to include the song on an album. "Caudillo" evokes "the image of some friends" Arjona had at college; he asserted that he "appears constantly there because sometimes we transform ourselves into a contradiction of all those things we fought in those moments. It's the history of a student leader that becomes a president". Arjona dedicated the album to his father, who died in 2011."Arjona, 'Independiente'" [Arjona, 'Independiente'] (in Spanish). OEM. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
Release and promotion Independiente was first digitally released in some South American countries on 23 September 2011 as a special edition, dubbed the Cono Sur Edition. This version included a different mix of "Reconciliación". On 30 September, the digital download for the standard edition of the album was released in several Latin American and European countries. On 4 October, the album was officially released as a digital download and compact disc in most of these same markets as well as North America; an iTunes edition was released as a digital download on the iTunes music store. This version included an album-only video, entitled "Independiente". In Germany, the album was first available on the Kiwi label on 4 October and on 11 October through Warner Music. In Canada and Spain, the compact-disc version of the album was available on 25 October.